Nonwoven fabrics are used in a wide variety of applications where the engineered qualities of the fabrics can be advantageously employed. The use of selected thermoplastic polymers in the construction of the fibrous fabric component, selected treatment of the fibrous component (either while in fibrous form or in an integrated structure), and selected use of various mechanisms by which the fibrous component is integrated into a useful fabric, are typical variables by which to adjust and alter the performance of the resultant nonwoven fabric.
Nonwoven fabric constructs comprising a polymeric film have proven to be particularly suitable for a variety of medical, hygiene, and industrial applications as such constructs permit cost-effective, disposable use. Use of such materials for surgical drapes, medical wipes, and the like has become increasingly widespread, since the physical properties and characteristics of the nonwoven fabric constructs can be selected as may be required for specific medical applications.
The utilization of a film-nonwoven construct in medical applications, such as surgical drapes, and hygiene applications, such as sanitary napkins, is known to those skilled in the art. The prior art to the aforementioned applications include U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,341 to Scrivens and U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,498 to Franco, which are both hereby incorporated by reference. Currently available absorbent constructs, comprising a net-like scrim layer over the absorbent layer, have proven to release unacceptable levels of the absorbent layer when employed in conditions of utmost contamination control. Further, such constructs have been found to be excessively noisy when the surface of the scrim layer comes into frictional contact with a surface.
Hygiene applications benefit from nonwoven fabric constructs comprised of a polymeric film, due to the level of comfort a nonwoven construct can provide when in intimate contact with the skin. Absorbent hygiene constructs, wherein nonwoven fabrics are utilized, tend to be multi-layered constructs consisting of at least one liquid permeable cover layer and one fluid acquisition layer that act to direct moisture away from the skin. Such constructs prove to be useful in: feminine care products, such as sanitary napkins and panty liners; diapers; and incontinence pads; and the like.
The reticulated film surface of the nonwoven fabric construct is comprised of a series of depressions that act to collect liquids and channel such into an associated underlying absorbent layer, while reducing potential release of particulates inherent to the absorbent layer. Further, the material of the present invention exhibits significantly reduced frictional noise and discomfort induced by prolonged contact.